Focus!

One, two three… c’om, girls! Focus is an Ariana Grande single yet it doesn’t belong to any of her studio albums: The song was originally released as the lead single from Grande’s third studio album, titled Moonlight at the time. As the album’s concept changed and its title renamed to become Dangerous Woman, the song was removed from the main track list, including the standard and deluxe versions. In this process, “Dangerous Woman” replaced “Focus” as the lead single....

March 1, 2024

Tattooed Heart

Two songs from Ariana Grande’s debut album Yours Truly hold a special place in my heart, and they’ve earned their spots in my top 10 list. The first is “The Way”, and the other is “Tattooed Heart”. While “The Way” was an immediate hit upon release, “Tattooed Heart” gained recognition more gradually, especially after Grande performed it frequently in her later career, notably during her Sweetener World Tour. The setlist of the Sweetener World Tour was strategically divided into three sections....

February 29, 2024

all 'The Way' back

The countdown is on: just ten days until the release of Ariana Grande’s seventh album, Eternal Sunshine. As a tribute to my favorite artist’s new musical chapter and to alleviate the recent turmoil of work, I’m dedicating a ten-day series on my blog to my top ten personal Ariana Grande songs. My musical preferences have subtly evolved over time. Songs that once seemed mundane or whose acclaim puzzled me have, with time, revealed their allure....

February 28, 2024

will or should?

Let’s pause for a minute of reflection today. Here’s the question: In this moment, are the tasks you undertake today born of your heart’s desire, or are they mere obligations you’re bound to fulfill? It’s just a binary question with at most four combination of answer, but it’s not easy to give a simple, definite response or even directly confront the truth for some people. Here’s one answer from Ariana Grande though, in her Vogue 19 cover interview...

February 27, 2024

12306 (the official railway ticket house) selling plane tickets...?

Recently, China’s primary, stable, all-in-one, state-railway-bureau-directly-operated official railway ticketing platform, 12306, announced an expansion into the airline ticket market. This move is not expected to reduce airfare costs directly, yet it signifies a notable shift in the competitive landscape for Online Travel Agencies (OTAs) like CTrip, potentially impacting their market share and profitability. Understanding the mechanics of airline ticket sales is crucial here. Airlines set their flight schedules, seat pricing, and then distribute this information through a Global Distribution System (GDS)....

February 25, 2024

an artist's attitude | from Ariana Grande's Billboard cover story

There are conflicts happening every now and then. The best way is just to focus on something else. Because if one just gets distracted by all those negative things, he might as well doesn’t have anything more meaningful on his mind to do. It would be pathetic. The attitude expressed by Ariana Grande’s billboard interview (almost 9 years ago) pretty much reflected this pov: Grande’s determined to avoid any kind of controversy....

February 25, 2024

Moonlight

Today is YuanXiao Festival, the first full moon of the year of the Dragon. “I saw the moonlight today. What reason should I make up so as to bring it to you?” It reminded me of Moonlight by Ariana Grande from her third album Dangerous Woman. It’s just an elegant, gorgeous love ballad. According to Ariana Grande’s Wiki: Victoria Monét (Grande’s producer-slash-bestie) said “[‘Moonlight’,] that’s what Ricky [Alvarez, Grande’s boyfriend then] called her one night....

February 24, 2024

Freakonomics | Is Google Getting Worse? (Update)

The latest episode of Freakonomics podcast titled Is Google Getting Worse? (Update) covered a topic (sponsored search) that I thought I was familiar with, but after listening, found myself to be pondering with new thoughts. To begin with, the guest list of this episode is already unimaginably fantastic: SOURCES Marissa Mayer, co-founder of Sunshine; former C.E.O. of Yahoo! and vice president at Google. Ryan McDevitt; professor of economics at Duke University....

February 23, 2024

in the moment

I got my driver’s license today! Yet it still feels strange to pass a test I once failed. I still don’t really like driving; would rather sit in the passenger seat to be in control of the music, snacks, and conversations. The driving academy where I used to practice is next to a garbage dump, so the air smells real bad. My coach had a strong accent and cursed a lot, like all those driving instructors....

February 22, 2024

breathin

“I know that all the shits’ fabricated” – breathin Ariana Grande’s “breathin,” the ninth track from her 2018 album Sweetener, stands as a quintessential pop anthem. Despite its conventional ABABCB song structure and the use of familiar chord progressions and motifs, the track has resonated deeply with a broad audience, many of whom regard it as a highlight of the album. While the song’s pop sensibilities might seem overly straightforward to some, its lyrical depth and the uplifting nature of its theme offer a surprising layer of relatability....

February 21, 2024